The unprecedented outpouring of emotion and advice from Oregonians about our financial crisis has been the silver lining on a dark cloud. If anything, the responses are more intense and widespread than those to the war in Iraq, or to any of the myriad calamities and momentous developments in the dozen-plus years I have been in Congress.  The American people understand the significance of this financial meltdown, and they are asking all the right questions.

Here’s what I’m hearing: People are demanding accountability, and no golden parachutes. Instead of using tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to reward the Wall Street executives who drove us into this ditch, we should insist on ‘clawback provisions’ to ensure that the people who created this mess bear some of the financial burden as well. Congressional leaders are right to be skeptical of a $700 billion bailout, and should not rush to conclusions. People are insisting that Congress understand the depth of this problem and what might be on the horizon. Could the heavily leveraged, murky world of hedge funds become the next crisis?

People are clear that if there is going to be some relief it ought to protect Main Street, not just Wall Street, and make a difference to people across America who are caught in this financial firestorm and are at risk of losing their homes and businesses.

People want to make sure that they receive fair value for the investments of their tax dollars. Whether it is a loan guarantee or a capital infusion, Americans want to know that they have a chance to get their money back. If there is a profit to be made, it ought to come back to the taxpayers and the US Treasury.

Americans are asking hard questions about whether taxpayer assistance means more borrowed money.  Many people feel that we should tax or surcharge the people who profited from this rollercoaster, instead of adding to the debt burden for future generations, which only puts us further at the mercy of foreign investors.

People are, without exception, outraged at getting a three-page proposal from the Bush administration in the dead of night that would concentrate all power, with no checks and balances, in the hands of the Secretary of the Treasury -- the same Secretary who refused to bail out Lehman Brothers and thought that the economy was fundamentally on track.  Finally, and most importantly, people think that we ought to know what’s involved, and we ought to understand the details before we put taxpayers’ money at risk.  If it takes an extra day, an extra week, an extra month to get this right — that’s just fine.

At a particularly stressful time, amid stock market tumult and a 24-hour news cycle, I am encouraged that Oregonians have the presence of mind to counsel deliberate, thoughtful action. I hear you loud and clear, and will do everything within my power to craft solutions that address your concerns.

It is hard to describe my frustration watching the failures of Wall Street unfold with increasing repetition. These are items I have been deeply concerned about for years, as we have been watching what has been a slow-motion train wreck suddenly accelerate. The financial crisis has deep roots in the ideology of deregulation combined with corporate mismanagement and lack of adequate oversight by the Bush administration.

Now Congress has been approached by the Treasury Department asking the taxpayers to purchase risky assets to help stabilize the financial system by providing capital and liquidity to the markets. This deserves a hard look.

Our job in Congress will be to make sure that we do not miss this opportunity to work in a constructive manner to put in place reforms that ensure corporate accountability, and address the crisis -- not just on Wall Street -- but on Main Street.

We must restore responsible oversight of American financial institutions and markets to protect American families from corporate excesses.  I will push for greater transparency, stronger oversight, and better -- but not necessarily more -- regulation. The federal government should step in only as a last resort to protect American families and jobs from further market instability.

Now is the time for the federal government to insist on accountability and transparency in the financial sector as we remedy the excesses of the past and stabilize the economy for the future.

The Republican demand to “Drill, baby, Drill!” and their threat to hold the entire federal government hostage to eliminate a decades-old ban on offshore drilling, may actually prove helpful to those who understand that a truly sustainable energy policy requires a more comprehensive approach.

This week the House of Representatives will vote on a Democratic proposal that offers something more than a high-school cheer: responsible off-shore drilling; fair value to American taxpayers for oil extracted from public lands and waters; additional incentives for energy conservation; and production tax credits for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. The House has passed these tax credits four times to no avail. Now is our chance to get the Republicans in the Senate and the President on board in giving these emerging industries, which are so crucial for Oregon’s expanding green economy, the support they need.

Our energy bill puts all the pieces together in a thoughtful way, offering more than a bumper-sticker solution to Americans’ legitimate energy concerns. As is often the case in the democratic process, this bill is not perfect, but it is certainly light-years ahead of the one-dimensional, disingenuous approach touted by the Republicans.

When Oregonians first put their heads together to determine the fate of Mt. Hood, they came up with a lot of ideas. Farmers wanted to cultivate land for growing cherries and pears, Native Americans wanted to preserve their natural heritage, and hikers wanted to keep their trees and trails pristine. And why not? This Oregon landmark has something for everyone to enjoy.

That’s why this week I was proud that the House Natural Resources Subcommittee had a hearing on my comprehensive legislation for protecting and preserving Mt. Hood’s natural resources. This new bill, HR 6290, the Lewis and Clark Mt. Hood Wilderness Act, will designate more than 130,000 acres as wilderness, more than 30,000 acres as national recreation areas, and up to 80 miles as wild and scenic rivers. What’s more, it will uphold Native American treaty rights, and address transportation and recreation challenges.

There is no question but that Mt. Hood is an icon that must be preserved for our children, and our children’s children. I stand firm in my commitment to moving forward with this legislation. And I will fight to make sure that the dreams so many of us have for this mountain, are realized.  Click here to read more about this legislation.

On the seventh anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, I join every American in honoring the innocent men, women, and children who lost their lives to those attacks. I pay tribute to their memory, and extend my deepest sympathies to the loved ones they left behind.

I also honor the brave first responders—the firefighters, policemen, and ordinary citizens—who so courageously risked and, in many cases, gave their lives for others.

Over the past seven years, Americans have worked tirelessly to prevent further attacks and protect the American people. We remain steadfast in our determination to uproot and defeat terrorist organizations worldwide.

To help keep our country safe against future attacks, the 110th Congress has passed legislation that requires 100 percent of aircraft cargo be screened and 100 percent of seaborne cargo be scanned before it arrives at U.S. ports. Further, this legislation improves security on our rail and public transit systems. But today's threats – terrorism, the upheaval caused by global economic change, worldwide epidemics, and environmental devastation – cannot be addressed by military force alone.  Protecting national security also demands providing aid to developing economies, addressing poverty, and preventing further damage to the environment.

It is the first-order duty of Congress to keep Americans safe. As we commemorate the seventh anniversary of 9/11, I join Americans across our nation in grieving for loved ones lost, and in honoring the heroes among us. I resolve to do all in my power to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.

After seven years of dangerous energy policies, Oregon families are reeling from the effects of rising gas prices. When we should have been investing in renewable energy and becoming more efficient, the Bush administration kept walking the same, dangerous path. They’re doing it again by proposing we drill in the Arctic and along our precious coasts.

Opening up new areas to drilling can take 10-20 years to produce oil, but people need relief today. This is why I propose we release oil stored in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is now 97% full. This has been done before, and in 1991 it reduced the cost of oil by one-third.

Although we urgently need a long term strategy to remedy the Bush administration’s failed energy policies, Oregonians also need immediate relief.  This week I introduced a bill that would immediately reduce the impact of high gas prices by providing Americans with a range of transportation options.

Read More about my Choices for Gas Price Relief Act of 2008.